Lyla Lindsey
In 1872, Victoria became the first Australian colony to offer free, secular, and compulsory education to children aged 6 to 15. This was achieved through the Education Act 1872, which saw the Victorian government take control of the colonial school system from religious denominations. By 1908, all Australian colonies had centralized government departments administering free, compulsory, and secular education. Today, Australia has a robust public education system, with approximately two-thirds of students attending government schools. While primary and secondary education is free, tertiary education is subsidized through a student loan program.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of free education introduction | 1872 |
| First colony to introduce free education | Victoria |
| Age range of children obliged to attend school | 6-15 |
| Year all colonies had centralized government departments administering free, compulsory, and secular education | 1908 |
| Percentage of Australian students educated by government schools | 64% |
| Average additional cost for schooling per child in 2010 | $316 per year |
| Average student debt in 2019 | $20,303 |
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What You'll Learn
The Education Act 1872
On 17 December 1872, the Victorian Parliament passed the Education Act, which set up the colony's public school system. This new legislation made Victoria the first Australian colony to offer free, secular, and compulsory education to children aged between six and fifteen. The Education Act 1872 was the first of its kind in the Australian colonies, and Victoria became one of the first regions in the world to offer free education.
Before 1872, most schools in the Australian colonies were controlled by religious or private organisations, including the Catholic Church, which was the largest private supplier of education. There were two types of schools: national schools, which were not linked to any religious group, and religious schools, which were linked to a particular church. The colonial government supported both types of schools, and each had a Melbourne-based school board.
The principles of free, compulsory, and secular education established in Victoria soon spread to the other colonies. By 1908, all six states of the Commonwealth of Australia had centralised government departments administering education, and public schooling became the backbone of the Australian education system.
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Victoria: the first colony with free education
Victoria became the first Australian colony to offer free, secular, and compulsory education to children in 1872. The Victorian Government passed the Education Act on 17 December 1872, which set up the colony's public school system. This legislation made education free and compulsory for children between the ages of six and fifteen. It also ceased all government funding to church schools, with most religious denominations allowing their schools to be a part of the new system.
Before 1872, most schools in Victoria were controlled by Catholic or Protestant churches or were privately operated. A few children were educated at home by tutors, and many received no formal education at all. The gold rush in the 1850s led to an increase in the number of children who needed education, and the colonial government began to improve and increase the number of schools in Victoria. The government gave some money to both types of schools, but local communities had to provide a minimum number of students and contribute to the school building costs. As a result, most schools were religious until the 1850s.
In 1862, the Victorian Parliament abolished the two existing centralised boards and created a single Board of Education through the Common Schools Act. However, the new Board continued to fund religious schools, and its executive became dominated by denominational representatives. In 1866, the Victorian Government held a Royal Commission into education, which recommended that the government set up a system of secular, government-funded schools. The Catholic Church, being the largest private supplier of education in the colony, strongly opposed these recommendations.
In 1872, a large group of politicians promoted the recommendations of the 1866 Royal Commission, and the Victorian Parliament passed the Education Act. This Act centralised the recruitment and training of teachers, separated secular from religious instruction, and abolished fees. The number of state schools tripled between 1871 and 1876, while religious schools dropped from teaching most students to less than a quarter. By the end of the century, Victoria was directing more resources into public schools and educating a higher number of children per capita than European countries.
The principles underlying the Education Act of 1872 soon spread to the other colonies. By 1908, all six states of the Commonwealth of Australia had centralised government departments administering free, compulsory, and secular education.
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The transition from religious to public schools
In 1872, the Victorian Government passed the Education Act, which set up the colony's public school system. This new legislation made Victoria the first Australian colony to offer free, secular, and compulsory education to children. The Education Act was the first of its kind in the Australian colonies, and Victoria became one of the first regions in the world to offer free education.
Before 1872, most schools in Australia were controlled by religious organisations, mainly the Catholic Church, which was the largest private supplier of education in the colony. There were also Protestant-run schools and privately operated schools. However, after the Education Act was passed, control of the school system was taken from religious denominations, and education became centralised under the government education department. This marked a significant transition from religious to public schools in Australia.
The Catholic Church strongly opposed the changes, but most religious denominations, except the Roman Catholics, allowed their schools to become part of the new system. As a result, the number of government schools in Victoria tripled between 1871 and 1876, while religious schools went from teaching most students to teaching less than a quarter. By the end of the century, Victoria was directing more resources into public schools and educating a higher number of children per capita than European countries.
The principles of free, secular, and compulsory education that originated in Victoria soon spread to the other colonies. By 1908, all six states of the Commonwealth of Australia had centralised government departments administering education. Today, Australia has a robust public education system, with most children attending public government schools. However, religion continues to play a role in Australian education, with approximately 30% of all schools affiliated with a religion, rising to 94% of private schools.
While Australia is constitutionally a secular country, the inclusion or exclusion of religion in schools varies across states and territories and is influenced by the political party in power. Some states, like Victoria, have laws stipulating that public school education must be secular. However, there are ongoing debates and controversies surrounding government funding for religious schools and the role of religious instruction in schools. There are calls for religious instruction to be replaced with religion classes that foster social cohesion and intercultural understanding.
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The state of free education in Australia today
Today, Australia's education system comprises early childhood, primary, secondary, and tertiary education. While the regulation and funding of education fall primarily under the states and territories, the Australian government also contributes financially. For instance, the federal government helps fund non-government schools, public universities, and subsidizes tertiary education through a national student loan scheme.
In terms of school education, government schools, also known as state or public schools, educate approximately two-thirds of all students in Australia. These schools are free to attend, but many request that parents pay a contribution fee and a materials and services charge to cover costs not funded by the government. This can include expenses for stationery, textbooks, sports, uniforms, and school camps.
Australia's higher education sector has faced challenges in recent years, with funding cuts impacting the quality of education and research. There have been calls for increased funding to make universities more accessible and address the issue of student debt. Additionally, there is a focus on improving equity in the education system, with initiatives to ensure no expenses for out-of-school-hours activities and provide free period products to students.
Australia's commitment to free education has a long history, and today, the country continues to prioritize education by addressing financial barriers and promoting accessibility.
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Tertiary education: fees and funding
Tertiary education fees in Australia are payable for courses at tertiary education institutions. The cost of a university education in Australia can be expensive, and students are often required to pay tuition fees to study their chosen degree. The fees for tertiary education vary depending on the type of degree, the chosen university, and the number of subjects taken.
The funding for tertiary education in Australia comes from a combination of student contributions and the Commonwealth government contribution. The student contribution can be made upfront or delayed through a HECS-HELP loan, which is then repaid through income tax. The Commonwealth government provides loans, subsidies, and social security welfare payments to domestic students to help with the cost of tertiary education. These include FEE-HELP loans of up to $150,000 for medicine, dentistry, and veterinary science programs, and up to $104,440 for other programs.
The type of place offered to a student also determines how much they pay. If a student is offered a Commonwealth supported place, their fees will be lower as the government subsidizes their spot. Most eligible undergraduate students are offered a Commonwealth supported place, while full fee-paying places are more common in postgraduate courses.
The cost of a bachelor's degree in Australia ranges from $6,888 to $101,952 per year, with domestic students paying between $8,500 and $94,000 per year. Postgraduate master's degrees can cost between $11,520 and $88,500.
The Australian government has made efforts to increase accessibility to tertiary education, such as the Whitlam Labor government abolishing university fees in 1974. However, fees were gradually reintroduced, and the fee structure has been adjusted over time to encourage students to pursue careers with more job opportunities.
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Frequently asked questions
Free education in Australia began in 1872, when the Victorian Government passed the Education Act, which set up the colony's public school system.
The Education Act of 1872 was a piece of legislation that made Victoria the first Australian colony to offer free, secular, and compulsory education to children. The Act also meant that schools would be centrally controlled by the government education department, rather than religious or private organisations.
By 1908, all six states of the Commonwealth of Australia had centralised government departments administering free, compulsory, and secular education.
